Dear Pinky,
Clinicians who incorporate functional, complimentary medicine into their
practice are very familiar with these products. I am not a physician.
However, as a clinician counseling professional I am familiar with them
and in appropriate cases, may recommend their use. Its part of patient
education and empowerment. Some of them, when used appropriately by
charting a dose-response curve with a patient, may enhance normal
function. Recent MRI and brain regional blood flow studies support uses of
gingko biloba. See uses of gingko in relieving depression and other
symptoms in; Lesser, IM, et al. Reduction of cerebral Blood Flow in older
depressed patients. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1994;51:677-686. Anybody using
these agents should be heavily databased first, and then under responsible
supervision to avoid the downside of a dose-response curve. Everything in
this world is double edged.
The Townsend Letter For Doctors, a monthly magazine, covers research in
this area of holistic medicine. You can also join a new database called
the Alternative Medicine Connection by calling Arlene Brecher at (703)
471-4734 to order a free dial up disk. This can keep you current on these
products.
